We remember it well. Just six months into our part-time RV lifestyle, Hutch looked up from the sci-fi book he was reading by candlelight and asked me, “Do you want to go back?”
“You mean, home?” I clarified.
Hutch replied, “I think we might actually be home for the first time.”
Suddenly, our part-time RV escape was looking like a life of adventure.
“We were caught in the spiral …”
During our first 14 years together, we worked to complete our master’s degrees. We secured jobs in the same town and maintained a successful, traditional Western lifestyle. It was one that most young couples dream about. We had a three-bedroom home in the mountains. Plus, two busy careers, two cars, two weeks of vacation per year, a community of loving people, great colleagues, et cetera. But, the success”that we had worked so hard to build for ourselves didn’t necessarily fit who we were or who we wanted to be. It didn’t even really make us happy.
We kept saying that we wanted to live more sustainably, but we didn’t even really know what that truly meant. We were caught in the spiral of working 50- to 60-hour work weeks. Then there was remodeling our home; planting a garden and mowing the lawn; squeezing in vacations and family visits; stressing out over being able to get it all done; and not sleeping well. And we were starting to see the ill effects of it all on our health. (And we didn’t even have children, so we can only wonder at how the rest of y’all do it?)
“We thought it would be for a year, maybe two at most.”
When we launched from our home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina on September 3, 2012, we took a deep breath. We made the first of many leaps of faith by pulling out of our driveway. This special day was our 12th wedding anniversary, and this midlife, part-time RV adventure was intended to be both a gift to ourselves and our marriage. We had just quit our busy university careers, downsized our life, rented out our home, said so long to friends and colleagues, and hit the road in a restored 55-year-old camper which I had purchased on eBay in 2010 after having “that day” at work. (And you know what type of day we are talking about here.) Simply put, it was time for a change to something more sustainable —and drastically different. We thought it would be for a year, maybe two at most.
Six months of exploring our continent turned into two years. Two years turned into eight. And now we can claim that we’ve spent half of our 24-year marriage traveling around North America. (It’s definitely been the better half!) We’ve put 200,000 miles on our vintage, rolling, solar-powered, 72-square-foot rig that we purchased for $900. Some would call us crazy; others brave, or even lucky. But this lifestyle simply fits us.
“The freedom to explore the natural world.”
If we had a nickel for every time we’ve heard, “You are living our dream! We want to travel for a couple of years around the country, but it’s gotta be expensive.” Our response is always the same, “Don’t let us live YOUR dream! It doesn’t have to be expensive.” We can easily live on less than $30,000 per year — for absolutely everything. It simply depends on your priorities and how you like to camp.
Our solar powered, traveling lifestyle gives us the freedom to roam. The freedom to explore the natural world. The freedom to live off-grid, and to visit friends and family scattered across the country. We have the freedom to volunteer for causes we believe in, and the freedom to work from the road. And we are not just surviving. We are thriving! To date, we’ve explored all 50 states, 10 Canadian provinces, and have left our rig behind to volunteer and travel abroad. We’ve hiked, biked, and kayaked through every U.S. national park to which you can drive, as well as a few that require a flight or ferry.
“Those seeking a different way of life”
For the first couple of years, we lived off of our modest savings. During the following few years, we worked seasonally in campgrounds, as outdoor and environmental educators, and regularly picked up odd jobs and side gigs. Now, we run an international, mobile business from our RV, which focuses on living a sustainable, traveling, active lifestyle. We’ve met thousands of others who make a living while traveling – either working online, for a local business, or for themselves. It’s all possible, it just depends on what you love to do and making it happen. The number one resource that we recommend for folks who are new to the road is Escapees RV Club. Their endless resources, community of fun people, and job opportunities are a tremendous asset for those seeking a different way of life.
When we meet other full-time RVers at campgrounds and boondocking areas around the country, we often exchange where we are from, where we’ve recently been, and how long we’ve been on the road. Early in our travels, we met very few folks our own age… most were either fresh out of college or retired. But, since 2020, we’ve met hundreds of people of all ages who are trying out a mobile lifestyle for the first time.
“Be careful y’all …”
While the full-time RV life isn’t necessarily for everyone, it is certainly a refreshing change from the grind – as our curious participants at our RV show seminars often hear us say, “Be careful y’all: Part-time RVing is just the gateway drug!” We are living evidence of that.
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